CD Reviews

SWINGIN'!

Giovanni | Chicago, IL | 06/15/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a huge Nelson Riddle fan, and a believer that Rosie Clooney has always been one of the most underrated singers of our time, I bought this album after hearing "YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME" on the radio. I immediately recognized the arranger, and of course, the singer. This album, recorded in what many consider both Nelson and Rosie's prime years, is a gem to have in your collection. From the fun romp they make of Lerner & Loewe's "GET ME TO THE CHURCH ON TIME" (who knew your could swing cathedral bells?) Nelson Riddle's charts perfectly frame Rosie's impeccable vocals. Some of the standouts here include "ANGRY", a light swinging "SHINE ON HARVEST MOON" and the biting "SOME OF THESE DAYS", handled with a touch of pathos but plenty of bounce. I also thoroughly enjoyed the treatment of "LIMEHOUSE BLUES" (Tony Bennett's version has always been king; it's refreshing to get a female take on this one). And you'll want to mortgage a "CABIN IN THE SKY" after you hear the sizzling chart Riddle penned for this one. It's no secret that Riddle and Clooney had a love affair going for many years, and this album kind of lets us in on the romance. Also reccomended is the Riddle/Clooney collaboration on Warner Archive's release of "LOVE", an album of torch songs that once again lets us in on the romance, only this time, at the tail end of it. Original liner notes and additional liner notes for the release of this on CD are a nice touch as well. A great album!"

The Swinging Riddle In His Prime

Giovanni | 11/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This collaboration between Rosemary Clooney and Nelson Riddle marries the sound of one of the most underrated singers of the classic adult pop genre with the finest vocal pop arranger of any generation and is a five-star album all the way.Clooney, hitherto (unjustly) regarded as a somewhat hokey pop singer, delivers performances that are equal to those defined by her more vaunted contemporaries and Riddle lavishes musical arrangements that show taste, style and an almost symbiotic understanding of the vocalist that he is supporting (as always).The assembled orchestra consists of a crack studio line-up, featuring some of the best West-Coast musicians and Riddle's arrangements feature subtle orchestral nuances and brilliant colourations that fit perfectly alongside the swashbuckling big-band sound.The song selection is good: all of the songs are fine pop standards and do not suffer from the over-exposure of certain tunes of the era and there is enough musical meat here for Clooney and Riddle to fashion something marvelous from all of them.This is one of those near-unique albums where everything fits together perfectly - songs, singer and arranger - and is an all-time classic. Buy it."

The Riddle You Don't Wanna Solve, Just Relish

Vivian Davenport | .. | 02/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Who, in their right mind, can argue with the supremacy of Nelson Riddle? Certainly not Rosemary Clooney, who delivers 'Angry' with the style that makes this whole CD worth anyone's attention. Rosie and Nelson deliver all the other bon-bons quite neatly and nicely in this CD. A real treat, especially for Nelson Riddle (and Rosie) fans. And who, in their right mind, isn't one????"

Get swinging with Rosie and Nelson

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 08/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of my favorite Rosie albums, and gained her a lot of credibility, at a time when she needed it (to shake off the image of novelty pop singer). The title may suggest a set of high-energy uptempo songs, and the first song, a foot-stomping version of Get me to the church on time, fits that bill exactly. However, what you actually get is a nice mix of tempos, with plenty of ballads, although even they swing. You would certainly be able to dance to this album, if you wish.The songs are well-chosen and suit Rosie well. Some of them are reasonably well known, but none of them have been over-recorded. It is incredible to think that Shine on harvest moon was written in 1909, and was therefore half a century old even when Rosie recorded this album. It stands the test of time well, and still sounds great now.Perhaps the best known songs here are I get along without you very well and April in Paris, but every song here is a real gem. Rosie and Nelson were both in top form when they recorded this album.This is a very different album from Love, a very smoochy colloection of torch songs recorded at around the same time, but released a couple of years later (also available from Amazon.com). Between them, they show just how versatile Rosemary was.This is a brilliant collection by a lady who continued to make great music until the end of her life. She will be sadly missed, but her music will live forever."